Motor Behavior Lab

Dr. King earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Concordia University in Chicago, where he balanced academics with Division III football. After graduation, he delved into professional roles as a performance specialist and later transitioned to fitness management. Seeking a new direction, he pursued graduate studies, earning both his master of science and doctorate from Pennsylvania State University, eventually joining Truman State University in Missouri as faculty in its Exercise and Health Sciences Department.

Outside of his academic endeavors, he enjoys nature, though he avoids the intense Texas heat. Mountain biking is his favored pastime, although he jokingly admits to staying grounded on his rides. Hiking with his wife and dog is another cherished activity, although he acknowledges his wife’s tennis prowess, often ending in her victory.

He holds a profound appreciation for “Shawshank Redemption,” particularly resonating with Morgan Freeman’s memorable line, “Get busy living or get busy dying.” When it comes to desserts, warm brownies with vanilla ice cream are his ultimate indulgence, while the combination of peanut butter and chocolate remains a guilty pleasure.

Hometown
Taipei, Taiwan – Taiwan is a free and vibrant country, known for its diverse culture, rich traditions, and strong democratic values. It is famous for its street food and the globally popular bubble milk tea. Though small in size, a short trip can take you from the seaside to the mountains, offering unique and beautiful scenery.

Background Interest in Kinesiology
My passion for Kinesiology comes from years in competitive sports and a strong curiosity about human movement and neuromuscular control. Working as a coach has shown me how exercise improves performance and quality of life. While I love teaching, I believe research can bring broader benefits to both athletes and the general population. My goal is to use motor control and biomechanics to optimize movement and enhance human ability.

Research Interest
My research focuses on how multiple-task conditions affect human movement. I am particularly interested in how motor control and coordination adapt in different contexts. These findings can provide valuable insights for both athletic performance and daily functional activities.

Favorite Movie (and why)
Ford v Ferrari shows how passion and persistence under extreme challenges can push people beyond their limits. Its energy and thrill inspire my view of human potential.

Favorite Dessert
Waffles are my favorite—crispy outside, soft inside, and always delightful with different toppings.

Guilty Pleasure
A waffle loaded with whipped cream may not be heart-friendly, but its sweetness and satisfaction are simply irresistible.

Hometown: Houston, Texas

Background Interest in Kinesiology: Prior to graduate school, I had interests of working with advanced prosthetics and sensor technology acquiring skills that would enable me to be a rehabilitation engineer.Now I am in the pursuit of making connections between neuromotor controls and balance of older adults. As in my previous experiences, I have worked on understanding muscle activity and dual task for healthy adults performing steady state gait and gait initiation.

Research Interests: My first projects involve understanding neuromotor behavior and balance of older adults with and without Parkinson’s Disease (PD).In the near future, I aim to apply skills and techniques learned throughout my PhD to improve quality of life for individuals with lower limb amputations.

Favorite Movie & Why: Growing up I watched movies like “Ironman” and “Robocop”, which inspired me to think beyond the scope of human capabilities expanding the possibilities of man-machine interactions. Suddenly I realized that in order to expand, I must first know what the human body is capable of.

Favorite dessert: My favorite desert is “buttermilk pie” or “chess pie” depending on where you come from.

Guilty pleasure: Catching up on old anime

Hometown: Mundelein, IL

Background interest in kinesiology:With the sports and activities that I grew up in, I was often in an environment that placed a heavy emphasis on proprioception and understanding how to control my own body movements. As a gymnast, I was constantly learning to understand my own movements and how to efficiently/effectively move to achieve a certain skill such as a press-handstand or a back layout. When I transitioned into distance running, my running mechanics came into focus and were analyzed due to a personal injury I had suffered. Each of these events and time periods in my life catalyzed my interest in kinesiology, as I found myself enthralled in everything I was learning about my own biomechanics, their effects on my efficiency, and how they could be improved. 

Research interest: what fascinates you about human movement and what do you want to know more about:

I find that I’m most fascinated by how our bodies work to create the most optimum/efficient patterns of movement and how these patterns change under a variety of constraints. I would love to learn more about the identification of these optimal movement patterns (specifically in relation to running mechanics), how they may vary depending on an individual’s stature, and how we can train individuals to achieve an optimal pattern so they can see success within their daily life or athletic careers.

Favorite Movie: My favorite movie must be The Princess Bride. The Princess Bride is an all-encompassing film with something for everyone, and the writing of the film is incredibly witty. It has some of the most quotable lines, so much so that they’re something my family and I quote to each other almost every day. 

Favorite ice cream/dessert: Brownies

Guilty pleasure:  On a sick or down day my guilty pleasure is.... binge watching mini docuseries on Netflix.

Hometown: Frisco, Texas

Background Interest in Kinesiology: I became interested in kinesiology because I was involved in competitive sports throughout my life and dealt with multiple injuries that led to many years of physical therapy. After a long journey in sports, I realized that the reason I faced those injuries was to help me discover my passion. I have always found the human body fascinating and beautifully complex and intricate. Currently, I am a senior Movement Science major on the Pre-PT track.

Research Interest:  I am interested in studying how individuals maintain balance with vestibular impairments, such as those with cochlear implants. I am also interested in exploring ways to reduce injury during states of fatigue.

Favorite Movie (and why): My favorite movie is Soul Surfer. I love this movie because it's based on a true story and is incredibly inspiring. I'm a huge fan of Bethany Hamilton and really admire her journey.

Favorite Dessert: Anything and everything chocolate!

Guilty Pleasure: Coco Shimp!

Studying how balance is affected by factors like age and injuries can help lower the risk of falls and improve rehabilitation methods. 

• Balance in Children with Cochlear Implants: Because the vestibular system is crucial for balance, it’s essential to know how children with hearing devices, like cochlear implants, maintain their posture. This study aims to explore how different levels of hearing loss affect static and dynamic balance in children with and without normal hearing. Balance is assessed using three methods: the BOT-2 test, Y-balance test and standing balance measured by a force plate.
• Postural Control with Visual Feedback: Manipulating what you see can change how you control your posture. This study looks at a new feedback system designed to offer more personalized postural control training. We're testing its reliability and effectiveness, measuring different aspects of postural control in both still and moving positions. The goal is to eventually use this system to help treat lower body injuries.

Understanding the underlying mechanism of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and how exercise reduces motor impairments is essential to helping those living with Parkinson’s have a better quality of life.

• Punching Out Parkinson’s: Exercise is proven to help slow down the progression of PD. However, we need to understand more about what types of exercise and programs are most beneficial for people with PD. In this study, we’re monitoring how people with PD improve over time while participating in a non-contact boxing exercise program each week. We’re looking at various aspects of their health, including breathing, movement, balance and how their nervous system controls their muscles.
• Walking Mechanics of Older Adults and People Living with Parkinson’s Disease: It’s important for people with PD to stay independent as the disease progresses, especially since they will often face mobility and walking issues. So, spotting early signs of motor problems in how they walk can really help, allowing for specific rehabilitation treatments to be used when they're needed most.

Motor learning affects how people both learn new skills and re-learn them after injury. Various methods are used in motor learning settings and our aim is to figure out what factors make learning skills most effective.

• Differential Learning: This is a training method that doesn’t rely on repeating the same movements over and over. Instead, it uses different variations to help people learn better movement patterns. We’re using this approach with the standing broad jump task and looking into other ways it can be used with different motor skills.